The Shift Away from Synthetic Food Dyes: What You Need to Know

Synthetic food dyes have been used for decades to create the bright, consistent colors consumers recognize across everything from candy and beverages to baked goods, frostings, fillings, and desserts. But the way the food industry approaches color is changing.

Across the United States, regulators, food manufacturers, retailers, and consumers are paying increasing attention to petroleum-based synthetic food dyes and the alternatives available to replace them.

Recent actions from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are accelerating this transition, making synthetic food dyes an important topic for food manufacturers—and particularly for bakery and pastry professionals considering future product development and reformulation.

What Are Synthetic Food Dyes?

Food color additives are used to enhance, restore, or create color in foods and beverages.

In the United States, the FDA regulates color additives used in food. Certain colors are subject to FDA batch certification and are generally synthetically produced, while other approved color additives are exempt from certification and may come from sources such as plants, minerals, or other materials.Some of the best-known certified synthetic food dyes include:

• FD&C Red No. 40
• FD&C Yellow No. 5
• FD&C Yellow No. 6
• FD&C Blue No. 1
• FD&C Blue No. 2
• FD&C Green No. 3

These colors have traditionally been attractive to food manufacturers because they can provide vibrant, consistent results across a wide variety of applications.

Learn more: FDA – Color Additives in Food

Why Is the U.S. Moving Away from Synthetic Food Dyes?

In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and FDA announced a series of measures intended to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the U.S. food supply.

As part of this initiative, the FDA is working with the food industry toward eliminating six remaining commonly used petroleum-based certified colors—Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, and Blue No. 2—from the U.S. food supply by the end of 2027. The FDA is publicly tracking commitments from food manufacturers, retailers, and industry organizations as this transition progresses.

Read more: FDA – Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum-Based Food Dyes

Official announcement: HHS – HHS and FDA Announce Initiative to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes

What About Red No. 3?

FD&C Red No. 3 is subject to a separate regulatory action. In January 2025, the FDA revoked authorization for the use of Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs. Food manufacturers using Red No. 3 have until January 15, 2027 to reformulate their products.

The FDA explains that its action was required under the Delaney Clause because studies showed cancer in male laboratory rats exposed to high levels of Red No. 3.

However, context is important. The FDA also states that the mechanism responsible for the effects observed in male rats does not occur in humans and that available scientific information does not support claims that Red No. 3 use in food puts people at risk.

Learn more: FDA – FD&C Red No. 3

What Can Replace Synthetic Food Dyes?

As manufacturers evaluate their formulations, attention is increasingly turning toward color additives derived from alternative sources. Depending on the desired color and application, alternatives can include pigments or extracts derived from sources such as:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Turmeric
• Annatto
• Paprika
• Spirulina
• Butterfly pea flower
• Grape skin
• Fruit and vegetable juices
• Beta-carotene

The available palette is also continuing to evolve.

The FDA has been working to expand the range of approved color additives derived from natural sources. Recent approvals have included new blue color options such as galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and gardenia (genipin) blue for specified applications and conditions of use.

Explore FDA color additive information: FDA – Color Additives

Natural Colors Aren’t Always a Simple One-to-One Replacement

Replacing a synthetic food dye with an alternative color source may sound straightforward, but color is only one component of a food formulation.

Different color systems can respond differently to their environment. Factors such as pH, temperature, processing conditions, light, oxygen, storage, and other ingredients can all affect the appearance and stability of a finished product.

For manufacturers, this means removing a synthetic dye may require more than simply replacing one ingredient with another. The entire formulation may need to be evaluated.

What Does This Mean for Bakery & Pastry Manufacturers?

Color is particularly important in bakery and pastry applications because consumers often associate appearance directly with flavor.

A bright red filling suggests strawberry or raspberry. Yellow may communicate lemon. Rich orange and brown tones can signal pumpkin, caramel, or seasonal flavors. When changing the source of those colors, manufacturers need to consider how the finished product performs throughout production and its intended shelf life.

Heat & Baking Stability

Some colors can change when exposed to high temperatures. For products that are baked or otherwise heated during production, manufacturers need to evaluate whether the desired appearance remains consistent after processing.

pH & Ingredient Interactions

Acidity can significantly influence certain color systems. This can be particularly relevant for fruit fillings, jams, curds, glazes, and other fruit-forward or acidic bakery applications.

Freezing & Thawing

Commercial bakery and pastry products may experience freezing and thawing during production, storage, transportation, or preparation. Color stability should therefore be evaluated throughout the complete product lifecycle.

Shelf Life

A product needs to maintain its intended appearance throughout its shelf life—not simply immediately after production. Exposure to light, oxygen, temperature fluctuations, and other environmental conditions may influence color over time.

Commercial Production

A formulation that works successfully in a test kitchen also needs to perform consistently at commercial scale. Pumping, depositing, mixing, baking, freezing, thawing, packaging, storage, and distribution can all introduce additional variables.

The Food Industry Is Already Responding

The shift away from petroleum-based synthetic food dyes is already influencing product development decisions across the food industry. The FDA is publicly tracking commitments from manufacturers, retailers, and industry organizations that have announced plans to remove certain certified colors.

The bakery industry is part of this transition. For example, the American Bakers Association has committed to eliminating certified FD&C colors from baked goods provided to K–12 schools through certain federal school nutrition programs beginning with the 2026–2027 school year.

Numerous major food companies have also announced plans to remove certified colors from some or all of their U.S. portfolios on timelines extending through 2026 and 2027.

See the latest industry commitments: FDA – Tracking Food Industry Pledges

What Does “No Artificial Colors” Mean?

Another significant development came in February 2026, when the FDA announced a new approach to voluntary “no artificial colors” labeling claims.

Under the agency’s current enforcement approach, manufacturers have greater flexibility to use “no artificial colors” claims when products do not contain petroleum-based certified colors, even when certain colors derived from alternative sources are used.

For manufacturers, this development creates new considerations not only for formulation, but also for how products may be positioned and communicated to customers and consumers.

Read the FDA announcement: FDA – New Approach to “No Artificial Colors” Claims

Reformulation Doesn’t Have to Mean Compromising Performance

The transition away from synthetic food dyes isn’t simply about removing an ingredient. A successful reformulation still needs to deliver the characteristics customers expect:

Color. Flavor. Texture. Stability. Shelf life. Processing performance.

For bakery and pastry manufacturers, reformulation therefore presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

It’s an opportunity to evaluate the complete formulation and determine how ingredient choices can better align with evolving market expectations while maintaining the performance required for commercial production.

At PastryStar, we believe cleaner formulations should still perform. Our approach to product development focuses on functional bakery and pastry ingredients designed for professional and commercial applications, with an emphasis on performance, consistency, and thoughtful ingredient selection.

Looking to Reformulate or Develop a New Product?

Whether you’re reformulating an existing bakery product, exploring cleaner ingredient options, adapting to changing color requirements, or developing something completely new, PastryStar can help turn your formulation goals into a commercially viable solution.

From ingredient requirements to processing performance, stability, texture, and flavor, our team works with bakery and pastry professionals to develop solutions designed for real-world production.

Ready to discuss your next formulation? Contact PastryStar to start your next product development project.

Sources & Further Reading:

• Color Additives in Food
• Tracking Food Industry Pledges to Remove Petroleum-Based Food Dyes
• FD&C Red No. 3
• Color Additives
• FDA Takes New Approach to “No Artificial Colors” Claims
• HHS and FDA Announce Initiative to Phase Out Petroleum-Based Synthetic Dyes